Startling increase in physical and sexual abuse of child immigrants by US Border Patrol, new report alleges

A new report suggests that there has been a startling increase in the number of instances where US Border Patrol officers have abused children seeking shelter in the United States from violence and poverty in Central America. The report, based on more than 30,000 pages of Border Patrol reports obtained by chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) through Freedom of Information Act requests, details 116 incidents where officers were alleged to have physically, sexually, or psychologically abused children between the ages of five and 17 between 2009 and 2014. A quarter of those cases were reports of alleged physical abuse, while half were alleged verbal abuse, including death threats.

Syria says Iranian withdrawal not up for discussion

The withdrawal of Iranian forces from Syria, demanded by the United States, is not up for discussion, a top Syrian official was quoted as saying on Wednesday, adding that Damascus was deciding on its next campaign against rebels. "Whether Iranian forces or Hezbollah withdraw or stay in Syria is not up for discussion because it's the (business) of the Syrian government," Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said in an interview with Russia's Sputnik state news agency.

A Planner's Guide to the Mediterranean Diet

2018 might well be dubbed the year of the Mediterranean diet. Not only did it tie for the best overall diet in the U.S. News Best Diets rankings in January, but this year also marks the Mediterranean diet pyramid's 25th anniversary. Beyond being linked to a host of powerful health benefits including a reduction in heart disease risk, potential weight loss, improved brain health and longevity, much of the eating pattern's staying power can be attributed to its flexibility -- there aren't entire food groups excluded, and followers don't calorie count or track macros.